Epic Mickey trailer

We’ve posted about Epic Mickey several times last year, and game will be released on the Nintendo Wii later this year. But for now, with the E3 gaming convention in LA this week, Disney Interactive has released this intriguing behind-the-scenes viral:

So are all the Song of the South characters going to be in the Wasteland too ?

Fred Sparrman

What BS in that joystiq.com article. They aren’t using VO talent so they don’t have to pay to have it recorded in every language!

diego

I watched this two times. The first time I saw it without audio, the second time I saw it with audio, and I didn’t like it as much as the first time. The Reason: That guy did an awful job explaining the proyect.

Wasn’t this game supposed to be some kind of “reboot” for Mickey? Like they were gonna “Loonatics” him up, make him all extreme, etc. for the kiddies? He (and Oswald) look as adorable as Mario in this footage. I guess that’s a good thing. Although since we’re talking ’30s Mickey here, he should at least have the personality of his ’30s self. The concept still looks interesting, and I’ll most likely check it out!

David Nethery: This is a rip-roaring fantasy scenarioâ€”obviously separate from reality and even from some other Disney “realities.” The Blot is a supernatural creature here, rather than the usual mortal master villain. While I don’t know any details (I’m not involved in this project at all), Mickey seems to be aware of his existence as a creature of pen and ink. Some Disney characters in the “wasteland” are forgotten in our world, too (Gremlin Gus), but others are simply bit players whom Disney still commonly uses elsewhere (Clarabelle Cow, Peter Pan’s pirates).

Soâ€”in this world, Oswald was “rejected” because it makes sense with other elements of the story, not because anyone’s saying Charles Mintz didn’t exist in real life.

anonymous

Dude, why is Mickey going around shooting dip through a paintbrush? I thought everyone agreed dipping toons was wrong 20 years ago with Roger Rabbit.

And David’s right…Oswald wasn’t “forgotten”; he was legally torn away, and they just got the rights to even put him in the game.

That will go great with the Snoopy game with all the plane crashes and explosions.

I’m always amazed at how a studio can own a really good t-bone steak and insist on drowning it in frosting and candles in a vain attempt to make a birthday cake out of it. Make something new if you want new.

The beautiful open air watercolor backgrounds and sophisticated color plettes were the best part of the 30s Mickey Mouse shorts. Naturally, they discarded that and replaced them with flatly painted purple and pink backgrounds from the old Beetlejuice TV show.

Tokyo

Epic Shitty ?

tedzey

What appealed me to this game is how its aimed for a young audience, but taking them seriously with a dark subject matter. I thought the idea came to spector when he heard that disney wondered what would happen if mickey mouse commited suicide. Though this isn’t mickey commiting suicide, it has the idea of characters ripped from reality because they’re not exepted. IDK but this might be an interesting venture.

Scott

The graphics don’t look great, but I feel like it’ll be an entertaining game over all.

Speaking of e3, I thought the new Kirby game, ‘Kirby’s Epic Yarn’ displayed some surprisingly good animation. It’s also got an interesting visual style:

I play a ton of video games, this looks pretty complete unlike a pre-game version, and pretty awful. What the hell is with that airbrush shine? makes it look like they’re all really badly made toys.

This video honestly makes it difficult for me to breathe. I’m still gonna rent it though, in hopes that I’m wrong.

Derek

Mark:
The reason the colour and style differ so greatly from the Disney style is that this game is meant to take place not in the Disney universe, but another universe where cartoon characters go when they are forgotten. Its meant to be kind of an apocalyptic place, almost a hell for cartoon characters.

If they are actually doing what they had originally intended, they are taking Mickey down a surprisingly dark path.

TheGunheart

I think they might have just misspoken in this trailer. Everywhere else, Oswald is simply described as a “forgotten” character, which is mostly true. He may get some Japan-only merchandise, but it’s doubtful Disney with ever acknowledge him in animation again.

This looks like its going to be a fun game to play! Looks really appealing for children my little nice saw it and she was automatically captured and for Disney kids are their main buyers, so maybe they have a good one here, but lets see game play that’s the most important part, so I am interested in seeing more of that. So after we can have sample of how this game plays ill say if its a good or bad game. Simpson game looked awesome but was a pain to play with those cameras sometimes so hopefully it wont happen here.

Great to see some actual gameplay action… after looking at some incredible production work for months.

Scarabim

This looks absolutely awesome. It’s the kind of video game Disney should make a movie out of, instead of that freaking Prince of Persia.

Mickey looks great – ah, retro Mickey! How I’ve missed you!, the backgrounds look amazing, and I love the storyline. I am so getting this game. Hell, I’m buying a Wii for this game specifically. Kudos to all involved in the production.

Mark

” but another universe where cartoon characters go when they are forgotten”

In “Ugly Ville?” Looks as ugly as roger rabbit. Dumb idea.

“What appealed me to this game is how its aimed for a young audience, but taking them seriously with a dark subject matter”

Oh, I’m sure this’ll make families happy. Especially parents who buy it for their kids not expecting this. Disney f’d up royally on this one.

I was not very much impressed with the first sketches months ago, but now I wan’t to buy a Wii and play the game. To tell the true I’m sad I’m not part of the project. Hope they produce the new Ducktales game they have in mind on the future! :)

Richie, AKA Ricardo

@Mark:

The idea behind this is precisely to remove that stereotype about Mickey being pure childish fare. The director is specifically aiming to make him much more of the interesting, badass character he used to be early on.

“They said, “What do you think about Mickey Mouse? Would you be interested in doing a Mickey Mouse game?” And I said, “No! Because I don’t do games for kids. You’ve done an incredibly good job of making Mickey lame and irrelevant to anybody over the age of eight over the last 30 years. I don’t do games for kids.” They said, “No, no, no! We want someone to reinvigorate this character, reinvent this character.” I literally said: “You know, this is probably impossible, we’re probably going to fail. I’m in.”
Warren Spector, Epic Mickey’s director.

I’m just kidding. This looks like the most entertaining Disney game since the amazing Kingdom Hearts. Its taking Mickey Mouse and giving him the same treatment Grant Morrison gave Superman in All Star Superman where you put the protagonist through hell and back to show what he’s made of. The programmer is brilliant and…

…Disney movies have gotten a mixed rap since, really, the 1950’s, but few can deny the awesomeness of so many of their platformers (at least in the 90’s, when platformers were basically all people were making). Aladdin, Magical Quest, Mickey’s Circus, The Lion King, Nightmare Ned, Toy Story, Mickey Mania, Hercules, all abnormaly fun and innovative, something you see so rarely in a licensed game. Once in a while you get a stinker, but those are quickly forgotten. This game looks like a great add to the library.

Jeff

@Mark: “Wow. So much grey and black. Why can’t they even ATTEMPT to capture the flavor/style of some of the original Disney cartoons?”

The original cartoons were in black and white.

tgentry

Those amazing concept designs were totally wasted on the Wii, which could never dream of living up to the original art. I was so excited to see those concepts come to life, only to get this. Horrible decision not to put this on the PS3 or 360.

I’m looking forward to this game, just to see how specific they get with the “darker” elements, even though I hate that buzzword. I should say – I wonder how the “story” will be told. Does it work, and does it justify a mechanic where Mickey can be good or evil?

Let’s be honest: Disney cartoon shorts are great venues of animation, but there’s only a few of them that are truly memorable.

Why does everything need to be “darker?” Isn’t that what ruined the whole comic book industry? Just sayin’. Its OK for some characters to be just for kids.

Kyle B

I just don’t understand anyone being negative on this game, especially when you hear just how passionate Warren is. A man with that much legitimate excitement could sell me on anything. However, looking at the names of the negative posts its like a whos-who of all the people I regularly shake my head at when I read the Brew. I just gotta ask- are some of you guys actual cartoon characters? I feel its the only explanation.

To everyone saying this too dark and too scary: Would you also edit out Night on Bald Mountain? Because that seems to be the level of darkness they are aiming for.

Chris S

The biggest heart of all?? Oh man, kill me, please! I thought the animation of Oswald looked cheap, and that is disappointing and forboding of the rest of the animation, but the overall art design looks fantastic and the concept seems like a lot of fun! If I owned a wii I would definitely buy!

Jorge Garrido

Stephen, I disagree about Mickey being the equivalent of a T-Bone steak. Like you said yourself, the art and backgrounds were the best part of the old shorts. Mickey himself is more of a blank slate than anything, he’s not a good character, so I think he lends himself to experimentation.

calartskid

this concept was thought out by a couple of calarts interns during the summer!

Karen

“He needs to go back to his original personality” â€¦Butâ€¦That’s the whole point of the game!”

Then they should rename this game “Epic Fail.”

Richie

@Karen:

But then it would sell way less D:

xD In all seriousness, Warren Spector is one of the best videogame developers out there. He cares greatly about the legacy of Disney, as seen in the link provided by TempleDog, and really wants to see Mickey shine, not as the soulless corporate mascot people think of nowadays, but as the mischievous and adventurous character he used to be early on his career, and in the comics. That’s great. I really have faith on this game.

Warhead: Okami generated, hands down, the most fun I have ever had playing a video game. Hope Epic Mickey is half as fun. I like the idea that your actions have a Dorian Gray effect on the look of the protagonist.